Ask a Trainer8 Things I've Learned from My Dog-Training Clients

Dogster

How to help your pet with arthritis?

Share advice for keeping your aging dog happy and healthy

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me, me, me it's- all about me!!

Barked: Mon Jun 13, '11 7:47pm PST


	I have a 7 year old Rottweiler/Bullmastiff mix. Her name is Harley and she is a love. She is starting to limp on her front leg and her back legs are starting to get weak. We took her to the beach today and she ran around and chased the ball in the water and swam back. Now she is laying down and not wanting to move. She is limping on her front leg and when I touch her back to pet her she cringes and tighten her muscles. I have been told that she was getting arthritis when she was younger and she has bone spurs in her front shoulder. I am wondering if anyone out there has a dog with arthritis and are very active with camping and such have any advice on what I can do for her, so she isn't in so much pain? Thank you all so much for your help.

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I fetch,- therefore I am.

Barked: Mon Jun 13, '11 8:07pm PST


	First, get a vet check to see how extensive the arthritis is. Aiki and Timber did well with acupuncture and chiropractic for a long time. Now, they're both also on Metacam (anti-inflammatory), and Aiki is also on methocarbomal (muscle relaxant). I've also been adding powdered glucosamine to their kibble for a few years now. Aiki has a harness that I put on him to help with stairs. It's made by RuffWear. Good luck.

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Don't disturb me- I'm on fly- patrol!

Barked: Tue Jun 14, '11 6:30am PST


	I second Aikis response to have a vet check your dog out first. I have a 12 yr GSD mix who has arthritis for us we do a liquid glucosamine,chondrotin, msm but a lot of dogsters buy store brand pills that you would take yourself and have seen good results. We also add wild alaskan salmon oil because the omega 3s act as a natural anti-inflammatory. All these in combination seem to help and make her more comfortable. Try not to stress out those joints too much if you know the next day she'll be uncomfortable take a leisurely walk for longer instead of a jog for example. If your dog likes water and swimming you could do that, its a great way to exercise and not put weight on those joints. Unfortunately for us Ginger thinks water was created to make her miserable so thats out for us. Keeping your dog trim is important as well you don't want any extra weight on those joints. Its good your active and moving though because movement produces the lubricant for the joints.

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the gift that- keeps on giving!

Barked: Tue Jun 14, '11 6:19pm PST


	Zeb has had some relief with Phycox supplement.

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Ball?! Did- someone say- BALL?!!!!!

Barked: Wed Jun 15, '11 4:26pm PST


	One other thing, as a human with arthritis, on the days that she's sore a short walk may help to loosen the joint. Also, heating pads on the achy joints will aid in blood flow and ease the pain. Same rules as with people. If she enjoys water, a warm bath may help. I've used these on days when T-bones leg gets achy. Warm, moist heat seems to be the most helpful when my own joints get crickety. I've had arthritis since I was 30 (3 years now) so I can very much empathize with our foundering four-legged friends.

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Feed me.

Barked: Thu Jun 16, '11 1:47am PST


	Good quality joint supplements with both glucosamine and chondriotin. Fish oil for anti-inflammatory properties. And if really bad or additional help is needed glycosaminoglycans (GAG's). Also don't allow to lie on hard floors or beds with little padding. A lifetime of soft places to sleep can do wonders for a dog's aging.

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I'm triple- superior MAD- now!

Barked: Thu Jun 16, '11 9:59am PST


	Dogaware has a great page, perhaps something there will help. http://www.dogaware.com/health/arthritis.html

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(retired)min- ister misty

be calm, dont- worry!

Barked: Fri Jun 17, '11 5:21am PST


	misty has arthritis and what i hear,your girl ,has the same i can't take misty of for long walk no more,because she will be in pain than the whole evening. but ok,she has it for several years now,so ... but when she just had it,it was the same as with your dog. i would be active with misty,and after coming home and resting,she would have problems walking(in her case her hind legs and hips) she would howl getting up and whine while walking. it's just an old age thing... avoiding very cold lake water helps and my vet sayd to keep her walking as long as i could. she will turn 13 in november and this last year i stopped with the long park walks. but she has arthritis from age nine,and i always kept her walking for all these years.so her mussles would not completely shut down from the arthritis

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Samwise (RB- 7-21-2012)

I'm a simple dog- & just want to- be loved

Barked: Fri Jun 17, '11 6:49am PST


	Samwise and his older brother Lancelot are starting to have noticable problems with their joints. I am at a point where I will take them to the vet for her to gage the degrees of their arthritis. However, my question, is how do I get them to lay on soft padding? The temperature is getting up to 96 degrees here. They stay inside all day of course but they like laying on the cool hardwood or tile floors. I have made the couches available to them and they used to use them but with the heat (still gets almost 80 in the house some days even with AC on) they are laying on the floor more and more. Then, when they get up, especially Lancelot, they are stiff and hobble a bit.

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Aina- Aloysius de- LeMaitre

work hard, play- hard

Barked: Mon Jun 20, '11 5:27am PST


	Massage, reiki, acupuncture, warm water swim therapy, nutritional supplements (glucosamine, MSM, chondroitin, green lipped mussel extract, the list goes on), controlled exercise.

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